Combination locks with concealed resettable control



L. H. MORIN June 18, 1968 COMBINATION LOCKS WITH CONCEALED RESETTABLE CONTROL i -z l Filed Dec. 13, 1966 4 .i, z W-i M ugs; il l llm% INVENTOR. laws /2. MGR/N *9AWMW A T TOR/Vt Y United States Patent 3,388,572 COMBINATION LOKS WITH CGNCEALED RESETTABLE CONTROL Louis H. Morin, Bronx, N.Y., assiguor to Coats & Clark Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 601,446,

Dec. 13, 1966. This application Dec. 13, 1966, Ser.

6 Claims. (Cl. 70-315) ABSCT OF THE DISCLOSURE A combination lock employing resettable in ignia wheels, wherein a control for changing the combination of the lock is concealed within the casing of the lock and actuated by key means facilitating the change of the lock combination and, wherein, said control normally retains the lock in operation with a predetermined combination setting of the wheels.

This application constitutes a continuation-in-part of a companion application No. 601,446 filed of equal date herewith.

Background of the invention (1) The invention deals with an economical form of combination lock of the padlock-type, wherein the primary components, namely casing parts, insignia wheels hasp and resettable controls are formed as moldings or castings, which can be readily assembled in production of the resulting padlock. Further, the invention deals with a lock structure wherein means is employed for retaining the insignia wheels in adjusted position, as well as in frictional support of the wheels in any reset position thereof in change of the combination.

(2) While combination locks are generally known, to applicants knowledge, locks of this type and kind, incorporating the resetting controls for change of the combination of the lock where such controls are concealed within the lock casing and actuated through key means, define a new structural combination not known to applicant in this art.

Summary of the invention With locks of the type and kind under consideration, difiiculties have been experienced in the retention of the insignia wheels of a padlock in setting a predetermined combination, preparatory to opening the lock, as well as in providing a definite control of the insignia wheels in the operation of changing the combination, which two problems have been cared for in the structural combination defined. Further, the concealing of the control employed for changing of the combination of the lock renders locks of the type and kind under consideration more practical and foolproof in use.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views and, in which:

FIG. 1 is a partial sectional view on the parting line of a padlock casing, with parts of the construction broken away and shown in section and parts in elevation.

FIG. 2 is a section on the broken line 2-2 of FIG. 1, with other parts of the casing broken away and in section.

FIG. 3 is a partial view, generally similar to FIG. 1, showing parts in a different positionyand FIG. 4 is an enlarged face view of an insignia wheel, with part of the structure shown in section.

The invention deals with the structure of combination 3,388,572 Patented June 18, 1968 locks and, in illustrating one adaptation of the invention, a padlock structure is shown comprising two generally similar casing parts 10, 10', a face view of the part 10 being shown in FIG. 1 of the drawing. These parts differ primarily in that the part 10 includes two integrally projecting rivet pin portions 11 having reduced riveted ends, as seen at 12, FIG. 2, fixed in socket portions 13 of the casing part 10'. The casing part 10 further includes two integral alinement key pins 14, which operatively engage sockets of the casing part 10, as will be apparent.

The assembled casing parts are fashioned to form a bore 15, in which the spindle or shank 16 of a hasp 17 operates. The bore 15 has an enlarged end 18, in which a spring retaining washer 19 operates, a spring 20 being employed to normally support the hasp 17 in locked position, with the lock end 21 of the hasp in the receiving socket 22 formed between the casing parts. The washer 19 is fixed to the shank 16 by a screw, as seen at 23.

With the construction shown, the padlock employs three similar insignia wheels 24. However, with different padlock structures, the number of wheels employed can be varied. These wheels operate in a corresponding number of recesses or apertures 25 opening through the top of the casing. Considering FIG. 4 of the drawing, these wheels have ten insignia sections 26, upon which the insignia are integrally molded, for example, the numerals 'ZERO to NINE, inclusive, part of such numerals being shown at 27 in FIG. 2 of the drawing. Each wheel has, at one side thereof, a bore 28, in which a split friction ring 29 of fibrous or plastic materials is mounted, as clearly seen in FIG. 1 of the drawing. At the other side of each wheel, in alinement with the sections 26, are formed ten key recesses 30 adapted to be engaged by projecting tails or key elements 31 formed integrally with the shank 16 in the operation of the padlock by movement of the hasp into open position by setting the proper key recesses 30 in alinement with the elements 31.

The casing parts are further recessed, as seen at 32, to receive springs 33 operatively engaging the surface of the wheels 24 to frictionally retain the wheels in a set combination position, preparatory to movement of the hasp into open position.

The casings collectively form two intercommunicating vertical recesses 34 and 35, in which is slidably supported a slide 36. The recess 34 opens into part of the bore 15, in which the shank 16 operates; whereas, the recess 35 opens into the socket 22 in which the lock end 21 of the hasp operates. The upper portion of the slide 36 has a reduced end 37 engaging the shank 16; whereas, the lower inwardly set portion 38 of the slide normally seats upon the head end 39 of a control element, generally identified by the reference character 40. Mounted in the upper portion of the recess 35 and engaging the offset end 38 of the slide is a spring 41 normally exerting downward pressure on the slide.

The element 40 includes a body portion 42 which operates in the socket 22 and also extends into an enlarged recess 43, in which a shoulder 44 of the body 42 operates. The pressure engagement of the spring actuated slide retains the control element in its normal inoperative position, as shown in FIG. 1 of the drawing. Between the body 42 and the head 39, the element includes a tapered surface 45 and a slide checking pin 46.

The two casing parts collectively form an elongated key aperture 47 having a longitudinal offset, as seen at 48 in FIG. 2 of the drawing, for receiving control means 49 in the form of a pin on a key 50 having a knurled fingerpiece end 51. The aperture 47 has an offset key holding socket 52, into which the control means 49 or pin is adapted to be positioned in support of the key as well as the element 40 in the position shown in FIG. 3 of the drawing.

In this position of the control element 40, the head 39 thereof has projected the lock end 21 of the hasp beyond the casing and the end 38 of the slide is shown supported on the pin 46, thus supporting the upper end 37 of the slide in the inoperative position, permitting full withdrawal of the hasp with one of the key elements 31 of the shank 16 within the ring 29 only of the adjacent wheel 24, it being understood that this same relationship will take place in the other of said wheels, thus permitting free rotation of all of the wheels in providing a new adjustment of the combination desired for opening the lock.

At this time, it is pointed out that the above described operation can only take place as and when all of the wheels have been set in the proper combination, which facilitates movement of the hasp into the open position, as shown. In this operation, the slide is automatically moved into the position shown in FIG. 3 by the spring 41, the slide moving downwardly over the tapered surface 45 as the element 40 is actuated by the key 50. From the foregoing, it will be understood that, unless the combination of a lock is known, a resetting of the wheels for a new combination cannot be accomplished.

After adjusting the wheels to the new combination, the key 50 can be released from its retained position in the socket 52 and removed from the lock casing, it being understood that the key is not normally used in conjunction with the lock. This frees the control element 40 and the hasp can now be moved inwardly, in which operation the lower end 38 of the slide 36 will move upwardly over the tapered surface 45 against the action of the spring 41, returning the slide as well as the hasp to the position shown in FIG. 1 of the drawing. In this operation, the spring 20 actuates the hasp, which is manually controlled to the extent of guiding the end 21 into the socket 22.

It will be apparent that the spring rings 29, whichrare preferably formed of nylon or Delrin, employed in the wheels 24 fit freely upon the shank in providing free movement of the shank in operating the hasp 17 from the locked position to the open position and vice versa, the bore 15 providing the primary support and guide for the shank 16.

It will also be apparent that the spacing of the wheels in the casing form spaces which normally receive the key elements 31 when the shank or spindle 16 is in the position shown in FIG. 1. For purposes of description, the shank 16 of the hasp can be said to define a spindle controlling the lock in its cooperation with the insignia wheels 24.

It will be apparent that, in the assembly of the lock, the various parts or components of the lock will be assembled in the casing part 10; whereupon, the casing part 10' is riveted into position, as diagrammatically shown. The various parts of the lock can be formed of casting or moldings of metallic or plastic materials. With structures of this type and kind, extremely small locks can be produced, thus adapting the lock structure to numerous uses.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A combination lock comprising a casing, a lock controlled spindle slidably mounted in the casing, the spindle having a lock end, a plurality of insignia wheels rotatably mounted in the casing on said spindle, parts of the wheels being exposed through the casing, the wheels having circumferentially spaced key recesses, the spindle having longitudinally spaced key means adapted to engage the key recesses of said wheels in opening the look by a proper setting of the lock combination, means concealed within the lock casing and actuated by a key inserted into the casing for freeing the spindle for advance movement to release all of the insignia wheels for rotation in changing the lock combination, and said second named means comprising a control element operatively engaging the lock end of the spindle, and a slide normally engaging the spindle and a part of said element.

2. A lock as defined in claim 1, wherein said element includes a body, said part, a head joining the body in a tapered portion and pin, tensional means moving the slide in engagement with said head, tapered portion and pin, and said pin supporting the slide in said spindle freeing position.

3. A look as defined in claim 2, wherein the body of said element includes means controlling movement of the element in both directions in the casing, and said key having means supporting the control element in operative position.

4. A lock as defined in claim 1, wherein the casing comprises two generally similar parts, means securing said parts together, tensional means normally urging the lock end of the spindle into operative position, said second named means comprising a control element operatively engaging the lock end of the spindle, said element comprising a body, a head joining the body in a tapered portion and pin, a slide normally engaging the spindle and said head, and tensional means moving the slide into engagement with said head, tapered portion and pin, and

said pin supporting the slide in said spindle freeing position.

5. A lock as defined in claim 1, wherein spacing of the wheels provide spaces alined with the key means of the spindle in providing free rotation of said wheels in the operation of setting a combination, tensional means normally urging the spindle into locked position, said second named means comprising a control element operatively engaging the lock end of the spindle, said element comprising a body, a head joining the body in a tapered portion and pin, a slide normally engaging the spindle and said head, tensional means moving the slide into engagement with said head, tapered portion and pin, and said pin supporting the slide in said spindle freeing position.

6. A lock as defined in claim 1, wherein the wheels have split rings frictionally engaging said wheels, the splits of said rings, when aligned with predetermined key recesses of said wheels, defining the combination of the lock, the key means of said spindle engaging only the rings of said wheels in the operation of changing the combination of the lock, tensional means engaging each of said wheels in frictionally retaining the wheels in a set combination position, said second named means comprising a control element operatively engaging the lock end of the spindle, said element comprising a body, a head joining the body in a tapered portion and pin, a slide normally engaging the spindle and said head, tensional means moving the slide into engagement with said head, tapered portion and pin, and said pin supporting the. slide in said spindle freeing position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 972,171 10/1910 Dupont 70-21 2,220,148 11/1940 Eber 70-315 FOREIGN PATENTS 908,160 8/1945 France.

MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner. R. L. WOLFE, Assistant Examiner. 

